I love a good Caesar – any drink that comes with a snack obviously gets the thumbs up from me. My fellow Caesar fans will already know that they were reportedly invented in Calgary and typically include vodka, clam/tomato juice (~clamato if you’re fancy~), Worcestershire, hot sauce and a celery garnish. A Canadian classic, it’s nearly impossible to find a well-executed version outside of this country and there’s almost nothing better to drink before you polish off a steak and potato dinner.

When Walter Caesar approached me to ask if I’d like to try their Caesar mix and feature one of their signature recipes on the blog, it was clear that the only correct answer was “heck yes!” They sent me their full line of products to try – Classic Spice, Mild Spice and Caesar Rim – but all opinions expressed below are my own.

Classic Spice Mix

Mild Spice Mix

Walter Caesar Rim

Walter is Canada’s first Ocean Wise-recommended Caesar mix. They use sustainably-sourced clam juice along with other natural ingredients and the mixes contain no artificial colours and flavours, high-fructose corn syrup or gluten. I hadn’t seen these products in stores, but you can order online or find your nearest retailer by checking here. Honestly, I was seldom inspired to make my own Caesars at home because the brands I found at the store were a little watery. With Walter as an option, I feel excited to have my Caesar-loving family members over for a visit to show off a drink I think they’ll love!

Now for the recipe – I’ll admit I was nervous when I saw some of these ingredients. Why use whiskey when we have locally distilled Eau Claire Three Point Vodka on hand? I’ll do almost anything for the blog, though, so I put myself in their hands and tried out their Prairie Caesar. I’ll tell you right now – I loved it! The honey was tricky for me to manage because I’m a slow, clumsy bartender, but the seasoning stuck to it marvellously and the hit of sweet between the rim and the BBQ sauce was a real treat. This is great with or without the beef stock – I know not everyone has stock just sitting around and my vegetarian friends will be slightly less horrified to know that this drink doesn’t lose anything substantial by ditching the meat products.

Walter Prairie Caesar

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Canadian Whiskey (we used Wiser’s) 
• 4 oz Walter Craft Caesar – Classic Spice
• 1 oz beef stock
• 1 dash black pepper bitters (we used fresh grated black pepper)
• 1 tsp BBQ sauce (we used CattleBoyZ from Okotoks, AB!)
• 2 dashes hot sauce (we used hot peri-peri that I won at a Nando’s foodie night)
• 1 squeeze lemon

For the rim:

• honey 
• Walter Craft Caesar Rim
• cracked black pepper

For the garnish:

• celery
• lemon
• local beef jerky (we used Medicine Hat Meat Traders habanero hot!)

Method:

1. Dip the glass in honey, then cracked black pepper and Walter Craft Caesar rim mix. Be smarter than I was and start with a cold glass so the honey sets quickly – mine was drippy at first.
2. Fill glass with ice.
   
3. Add whiskey, Walter Craft Caesar (Classic Spice) mix, then the remaining ingredients. Stir gently! (Scale ingredients up to the size of your glass – mine was Hungry-sized!)
   
4. Eat several pieces of beef jerky.
   
5. Spear a small piece each of celery, jerky and lemon on a cocktail pick (or toothpick if you’re unprepared like me), then balance it precariously on top of your glass.
   
6. Don’t freak out when your garnish decides to take a dip in the drink before you’re ready for your Instagram photo.
   
7. Enjoy! (Responsibly!)